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Acting U.S. Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove has directed federal prosecutors in New York to drop all corruption charges against New York City Mayor Eric Adams, a senior Justice Department official confirmed Monday evening.
The charges, initially brought by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, will be dismissed without prejudice, meaning prosecutors could refile them at a later date. While the dismissal has not yet been formalized, a request is expected to be filed in court soon, pending review by a judge.
Adams’ attorney, Alex Spiro, hailed the decision as a vindication for the mayor. “As I said from the outset, the mayor is innocent — and he would prevail. Today he has,” Spiro stated.
Political Motivations Behind the Charges?
In his memo, Bove suggested—without citing specific evidence—that the charges against Adams may have been politically motivated. “It cannot be ignored that Mayor Adams criticized the prior Administration’s immigration policies before the charges were filed,” Bove wrote.
Legal experts were quick to push back against this assertion. Stephen Gillers, a professor of legal ethics at NYU Law School, dismissed Bove’s reasoning as unfounded. “Although dressed up as a concern for appearances and despite his disclaimer, Bove’s memo is really a baseless and offensive slur against the former U.S. attorney and the lawyers who worked on the Adams case at the premier federal prosecutorial office in the nation,” Gillers said.
One federal law enforcement official, speaking anonymously, called the directive to withdraw charges “horrific” and “just transparent corruption.”
Serious Allegations Against Adams
Adams, a former NYPD captain who was elected mayor in 2021, was indicted in September on multiple counts, including conspiracy to receive campaign contributions from foreign nationals, wire fraud, and bribery. Prosecutors alleged that Adams accepted $100,000 in luxury travel perks from Turkish nationals and a government official as part of a decade-long corruption scheme.
Despite the severity of the charges, Adams has consistently maintained his innocence. “The mayor never used his official position for personal benefit. Nor did he have any role in violating campaign finance laws,” Spiro reiterated on Monday.
Justice Department’s Future Review
The Justice Department official confirmed that the charges against Adams would be revisited once a Trump-appointed U.S. attorney assumes office. The move follows the resignation of Damian Williams, the Biden-appointed U.S. attorney who initially prosecuted Adams.
This development has fueled concerns that Adams could be vulnerable to political pressure from the Trump administration, as the potential for refiled charges looms over his political future.
As the legal battle unfolds, Adams remains focused on his role as mayor. However, with the possibility of renewed prosecution, his administration could face further scrutiny in the months ahead.
